We left Black Point to start the trip back to
George Town, stopping with friends at a very attractive anchorage at Rudder Cut
Cay in position 23:52.45N, 76:14.50W

Many of the Exumas Cays are privately owned with
their own airstrips so that the millionaires can fly in to their exclusive
residences without having to rub shoulders with the 'rif-raf' at the local
airports. Rudder Cut Cay is such an example and the two beautiful beaches we
were anchored off displayed signs in red paint (may have been blood) leaving the
reader in no doubt as to the private status of the beachfront area. However,
there is no restraint on the anchorages and in some ways its rather nice to look
onto pristine beaches without the view being spoilt by visitors. In fact when we
went snorkelling the following day Nikki saw a couple of large dogs ambling
along the sand that looked as though they would mincemeat any intruders. So we
were content to just enjoy the view - it seemed safer
somehow.

We were also blessed with the presence of some
stingrays swimming around the anchorage which make such an interesting sight. In
fact when we went snorkelling we saw one on the seabed beneath us with the
familiar barb on the tail that saw the end of Steve Irwin's undersea adventures
down under. So we were careful to just watch this fascinating creature and not
get too close to that tail. We saw no Barracudas or Nurse sharks which
are frequent visitors to these anchorages. Nurse sharks though are
harmless. Barracudas not so!

From Rudder Cut Cay we exited from the shallow
Exuma bank into the deep waters of Exuma Sound to begin the 30 odd mile passage
back to George Town. It was a motor all the way without even the excitement of a
fish taking any of our 3 trailing lures to break the monotony and we entered
Elizabeth Harbour fish-less and lower on diesel than when we started, ready to
re-provision and hopefully fix the watermaker that had developed a fault a few
weeks ago.

The dark shape of a small Stingray just off our
side
Rudder Cut Cay anchorage with its large cave which we swam
into

Large private yacht lying at its berth off Mucha Cay (next to Rudder
Cut
Cay)